Part 68

Leaves broad-ovate or oval, acute, rounded or subcordate or narrowed and concave-cuneate at the entire base, coarsely often doubly serrate above with straight glandular teeth, and more or less incisely lobed with acuminate lateral lobes, more than half grown when the flowers open about the middle of May and then pale green and glabrous with the exception of a few caducous hairs on the upper side of the base of the midrib, and at maturity dark green above, paler below, 1½′—2′ long, and 1½′—2′ wide; petioles stout, conspicuously glandular above the base, wing-margined at the apex, glabrous, ½′—¾′ in length. Flowers about ¾′ in diameter, on slender glabrous pedicels, in compact 3—7-flowered simple corymbs, with conspicuously glandular bracts and bractlets; calyx-tube broadly obconic, glabrous, the lobes broad, acuminate, laciniately cut toward the apex, and glandular with stipitate glands; stamens 10; anthers pale rose color; styles 3—5, surrounded at base by tufts of pale hairs. Fruit ripening late in September or in October, subglobose, usually angled, red or russet-red, about ½′ in diameter; calyx little enlarged, with spreading or reflexed lobes; flesh thin, dry and mealy; nutlets 3—5, broad and rounded at base, rounded at the slightly narrowed apex, prominently ridged on the back, with a broad grooved ridge, about 5/16′ long.

A tree, often 25° high, with a trunk 4′—7′ in diameter and sometimes 10°—12° long, covered with gray or often dark brown scaly bark, stout spreading or ascending branches, and thick glabrous red-brown branchlets armed with thin straight shining spines ½′ long, becoming much longer and branched on the trunk and large branches.

Distribution. Southwestern Virginia, through western North Carolina to eastern Tennessee; usually at altitudes between 2000° and 3000°; common on wooded slopes with Oaks, Hickories, and Pines.

114. Cratægus venusta Beadl.

Leaves oval to ovate or occasionally to oblong-ovate, acute, gradually or abruptly narrowed and cuneate or rounded at the entire base, finely serrate above with usually incurved glandular teeth, and frequently slightly and irregularly divided above the middle into 1—3 pairs of short broad acute lobes, when they unfold dark bronze color, with a few scattered pale caducous hairs on the upper surface, about half grown when the flowers open from the 20th to the end of April, and then yellow-green, smooth and glabrous, and at maturity dark dull green above, pale below, 2½′ long, and 1½′ wide, with a stout midrib and 4—7 pairs of thin primary veins; late in the autumn turning, especially those on leading shoots deep orange or scarlet; petioles stout, glandular, more or less winged above, ½′—¾′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots generally broad-ovate, rounded at base, deeply lobed with broad lobes, and often 3½′ long and 3′ wide. Flowers 1′ in diameter, on short pedicels, in 4—9-flowered compact corymbs, their bracts and bractlets like the inner bud-scales coarsely glandular-serrate and bright red before falling; calyx-tube broadly obconic, the lobes gradually narrowed from a broad base, acute, coarsely glandular-serrate often only below the middle; stamens 15—20, usually 15—17; anthers small, pale yellow; styles 3—5, surrounded at the base by a ring of pale hairs. Fruit ripening and falling from the 1st to the middle of October, on stout pedicels often 1′ long, in few-fruited clusters, short-oblong, rounded at the ends, dull red, often with a bright russet face, and marked by occasional large dark dots; calyx prominent, with a long tube, and spreading lobes often deciduous before the fruit ripens; flesh thick, yellow, dry and mealy; nutlets 3—5, narrow and acute at base, broad, about ¼′ long.

A bushy tree, often 25° high, with a short trunk a foot in diameter, furnished like the large branches with innumerable stout much-branched spines frequently 6′ long, and slender nearly straight glabrous dark chestnut-brown branchlets, armed with many stout straight or slightly curved dark chestnut-brown shining spines frequently pointing toward the base of the branch, and 1½′—2½′ long.

Distribution. Open Oak and Hickory-woods on the dry slopes of Red Mountain in the southern part of the city of Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama.

115. Cratægus Sargentii Beadl.

Leaves oblong-ovate to elliptic or rarely to ovate, acute or acuminate at apex, gradually or abruptly cuneate or rounded at the nearly entire base, irregularly doubly serrate above with straight or incurved glandular teeth, and usually irregularly divided into 3 or 4 pairs of short broad acute or acuminate lobes, nearly fully grown when the flowers open late in April, and then subcoriaceous, pale yellow-green, and villose on the midrib with scattered pale caducous hairs, and at maturity lustrous, dark yellow-green above, pale below, 2′—3′ long, and 1½′—2′ wide, with a thin midrib, 5—7 pairs of thin light yellow veins and conspicuous reticulate veinlets; turning in the autumn bright yellow and red; petioles slender, glandular, more or less broadly winged toward the apex, ½′—¾′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots oblong-ovate, concave-cuneate at base, often 3′ long and 2′ wide, their petioles broadly wing-margined to below the middle. Flowers nearly 1′ in diameter, on long thin slightly villose pedicels, in 2—5 usually 3-flowered simple corymbs, with coarsely glandular-serrate bracts and bractlets; calyx-tube narrowly obconic, glabrous or slightly villose, the lobes foliaceous, acute, coarsely glandular-serrate above the middle; stamens 20; anthers large, dark rose color; styles 3—5, usually 4, surrounded at base by a narrow ring of pale hairs. Fruit ripening and falling about the middle of September, often only a single fruit maturing from a flower-cluster, subglobose to short-oblong, rounded at the ends, yellow or orange-yellow, generally more or less flushed with red, marked by occasional large dark dots, ⅓′—½′ long; calyx prominent, with an elongated tube and closely appressed lobes; flesh yellow, thin and hard; nutlets 3—5, usually 4, about ¼′ long.

An intricately branched tree, rarely more than 20° high, with a tall trunk 6′—7′ in diameter, stout ascending branches forming a narrow or sometimes a round flat-topped head, and glabrous branchlets armed with thin straight or slightly curved dark chestnut-brown shining spines, ¾′—1½′ long; often a large shrub, with few or many stems.

Distribution. Rocky woods and bluffs in the foothill region of northwestern Georgia (cliffs of the Coosa River near Rome, Floyd County), southeastern Tennessee (near Chattanooga, Hamilton County, and Tracy City, Grundy County), and northeastern Alabama; very abundant in Alabama at Valley Head, De Kalb County, and on the low ridges extending southward to the neighborhood of Birmingham, Jefferson County.

XIII. PULCHERRIMÆ.

CONSPECTUS OF THE ARBORESCENT SPECIES.

Leaves oval to ovate or nearly orbicular, their lobes acute or rounded; fruit bright red. 116. C. opima (C). Leaves ovate to oval or obovate, their lobes acute; fruit orange-red. 117. C. robur (C).

116. Cratægus opima Beadl.

Leaves oval to ovate or nearly orbicular, acute, gradually or abruptly narrowed and cuneate at the entire base, finely serrate above with incurved teeth, and usually divided above the middle into short acute, acuminate or rounded lobes, half grown when the flowers open the middle of April, and then glabrous with the exception of a few short caducous hairs on the midrib and veins, and at maturity light green on the upper surface, pale on the lower surface, 1½′ long, and 1¼′ wide, with a slender midrib, and 5 or 6 pairs of arcuate primary veins spreading to the point of the lobes; petioles narrowly winged at the apex, usually about ¾′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots sometimes rounded or nearly truncate at base and 1½′—2½′ long and broad. Flowers about ⅔′ in diameter, on short slender pedicels, in compact few-flowered glabrous corymbs; calyx-tube broadly obconic, glabrous, the lobes gradually narrowed from a broad base, acute, entire or sparingly glandular-serrate, tipped with dark red glands, glabrous on the outer surface, puberulous on the inner surface; stamens 20; anthers dark rose color; styles 3—5, surrounded at base by a narrow ring of snowy white tomentum. Fruit ripening about the 1st of October and then remaining on the branches for several weeks, on short stout pedicels, in compact few-fruited erect or drooping clusters, subglobose, often rather longer than broad, bright red, about ¼′ in diameter; calyx prominent, with a well-developed tube, and much enlarged closely appressed lobes often deciduous with the tube before the fruit becomes entirely ripe; flesh thin, yellow, dry and mealy; nutlets 3—5, thin, ⅛′ long.

A tree, 20°—25° high, with a tall, slender often spiny trunk covered with ashy gray bark nearly black at the base of old trees, spreading and ascending branches forming a rounded or oval usually open head, and thin nearly straight bright red-brown glabrous branchlets becoming gray tinged with red or brown in their second season, and armed with thin nearly straight bright chestnut-brown lustrous spines, 1′—1½′ long.

Distribution. Open woods in clay soil in the neighborhood of Greenville, Butler County, Alabama; common near Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida.

117. Cratægus robur Beadl.

Leaves ovate, oval or obovate, acute or acuminate, entire or sparingly glandular below, finely serrate above with incurved glandular teeth, and incisely lobed above the middle with numerous short acute lobes, nearly fully grown when the flowers open at the end of March, and then membranaceous and dark yellow-green and lustrous, and at maturity yellow-green, 1½′—2′ long, and 1′—1½′ wide, with a slender yellow midrib, and thin primary veins extending very obliquely to the point of the lobes; turning in the autumn orange, yellow, or brown; petioles slender, slightly wing-margined toward the apex, sparingly glandular, ½′—1′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots broadly ovate, cuneate or nearly truncate at the wide base, deeply divided into broad lateral lobes, often 2′—3′ long and broad, with a stout broadly winged petiole frequently 1′ long. Flowers 1⅛′—1¼′ in diameter, on long slender pedicels, in 5—10-flowered glabrous corymbs, with large conspicuously glandular bracts and bractlets; calyx-tube narrowly obconic, glabrous, the lobes gradually narrowed from a broad base, glabrous, entire or sparingly serrate; stamens 20; anthers pale rose color; styles 3—5, surrounded at base by a narrow ring of pale hairs. Fruit ripening in September and October, on elongated, slender pedicels, in few-fruited drooping clusters, subglobose, orange-red, about ½′ in diameter; calyx-lobes deciduous before the maturity of the fruit leaving a narrow ring round the shallow cavity; flesh thin and firm; nutlets 3—5, broad, rounded at the ends, barely grooved on the rounded back, 3/16′ long and nearly as broad.

A tree, 20°—25° high, with a trunk 4′—6′ in diameter, covered with gray or brown scaly bark, spreading or ascending branches, and slender red-brown branchlets unarmed or armed with stout spines ¾′—1′ long; more often a large much-branched shrub, with one or more stems.

Distribution. Woods and borders of fields, northwestern Florida; common in the neighborhood of Tallahassee, Leon County.

XIV. BRACTEATÆ.

CONSPECTUS OF THE ARBORESCENT SPECIES.

Leaves oval to broad-obovate, subcoriaceous; corymbs many-flowered; stamens 10—20, usually 20; fruit bright red or orange-red. 118. C. Harbisonii (C). Leaves broad-ovate or rarely obovate, thin; corymbs 3—10-flowered; stamens 20; fruit bright red. 119. C. Ashei (C).

118. Cratægus Harbisonii Beadl.

Leaves oval to broad-obovate, acute at apex, cuneate or rounded at the entire base, and coarsely serrate above with straight glandular teeth, when they unfold roughened above by stout, rigid pale hairs, and soft and pubescent below, nearly fully grown early in May when the flowers open, and then thin, dark yellow-green above and pale below, and at maturity subcoriaceous; pale on the lower surface, 2′—2½′ long, and 1′—1½′ wide, with a stout midrib and primary veins deeply impressed on the upper side of the leaf, and conspicuous reticulate veinlets; petioles stout, villose, more or less winged above, ¼′—½′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots broad-ovate, cuneate and decurrent on their stouter petiole, 3′—4′ long, and 2½′—3′ wide, with lunate coarsely glandular-dentate stipules frequently ½′ long. Flowers ¾′ in diameter, in broad loose usually 10—12-flowered corymbs, with broad acute conspicuous glandular-serrate bracts and bractlets; calyx-tube broadly obconic, densely villose at the base and glabrous or pubescent above, the lobes elongated, gradually narrowed from a broad base, acute, bright green, more or less hairy, coarsely glandular-serrate, with large stipitate dark red glands; stamens 10—20, usually 20; anthers large, light yellow; styles 3—5. Fruit ripening and falling early in October, subglobose, often rather longer than broad, bright red or orange-red, marked by numerous large dark dots; calyx enlarged, with spreading glandular lobes often deciduous before the fruit ripens; flesh yellow, thick, dry and mealy; nutlets 3—5, narrowed at the ends, ¼′ long.

A tree, sometimes 25° high, with a trunk 10′—12′ in diameter, covered with light gray or gray-brown bark, and often armed with straight or much-branched spines, wide-spreading light gray or reddish branches forming a rather open symmetrical head, and slender branchlets coated when they first appear with long spreading white hairs, pubescent or glabrous and light red-brown or orange-brown during their first season, becoming dark or light gray the following year, and furnished with numerous usually stout straight dark reddish brown shining spines 1½′—2′ long.

Distribution. Dry limestone hills and ridges; West Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee; common.

119. Cratægus Ashei Beadl.

Leaves broad-ovate or occasionally obovate, acute and generally short-pointed at apex, gradually or abruptly narrowed and cuneate and usually entire at base, coarsely and occasionally doubly serrate above with straight or incurved teeth tipped with small dark glands, when they unfold roughened on the upper surface with short pale hairs and pubescent below, nearly fully grown and membranaceous when the flowers open early in May, and at maturity thin but firm in texture, pale and puberulous on the lower surface on the slender midrib and primary veins, about 2′ long and 1½′ wide; petioles stout, broadly winged above, glandular, pubescent early in the season but ultimately nearly glabrous, about ½′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots usually broadly oval or nearly orbicular, rounded or short-pointed at apex, 2½′—3′ long, and 2′—2½′ wide. Flowers ¾′ in diameter, on slender hairy pedicels, in 3—10-flowered simple or compound corymbs, with broad conspicuous glandular bracts and bractlets; calyx-tube broadly obconic, thickly coated with long matted reflexed white hairs, the lobes broad, acute, nearly glabrous on the outer surface, villose on the inner surface, glandular with small stout stipitate glands; stamens 20; anthers small, yellow; styles 3—5, surrounded at base by a narrow ring of pale hairs. Fruit ripening and falling late in September or early in October, on stout villose or glabrous pedicels, in few-fruited clusters, subglobose or rather longer than broad, bright red, marked by large scattered dots, more or less villose toward the ends, about 1′ in diameter; calyx conspicuous, with elongated coarsely glandular-serrate, erect incurved or reflexed lobes; flesh thick and yellow; nutlets 3—5, thin, acute at the ends, ⅓′ long.

A tree, rarely more than 20° high, with a slender trunk covered with smooth light gray or red-brown bark becoming fissured and scaly on old individuals, stout ascending branches forming a pyramidal or oval head, and slender branchlets coated when they first appear with long pale matted reflexed hairs, soon becoming nearly glabrous, lustrous, orange-brown or reddish brown, and light gray or gray tinged with red during their second season, and armed with straight or slightly curved thin dark red-brown shining spines 1′—1½′ long.

Distribution. Abandoned fields, and woods, growing usually on clay soils; near Montgomery, Montgomery County, and Gallion, Hale County, Alabama.

XV. FLAVÆ.

CONSPECTUS OF THE ARBORESCENT SPECIES.

Stamens 20. Anthers pink or purple. Corymbs usually 3—6-flowered. Leaves elliptic to broad-ovate, yellow-green; fruit dark orange-brown. 120. C. flava (C). Leaves ovate to obovate or orbicular, bright yellow-green; fruit obovoid, dark orange color with a red cheek. 121. C. visenda (C). Leaves obovate or ovate, dark green; fruit subglobose to short-oblong, red or orange-red. 122. C. ignava (C). Corymbs 1—5-flowered. Leaves broad-obovate to nearly orbicular, bright green; fruit globose or depressed-globose, bright red. 123. C. consanguinea. Leaves obovate, bright green; fruit ellipsoidal to short-oblong, orange-red; anthers pink. 124. C. tristis. Anthers yellow (_doubtful in_ 128, 133). Leaves yellow-green. Leaves 3-nerved. Leaves obovate-cuneate, often 3-lobed at apex; fruit obovoid to subglobose, bright orange-red and lustrous; corymbs tomentose. 125. C. floridana. Leaves obovate; fruit subglobose to short-oblong, dull brownish yellow; corymbs glabrous. 126. C. lacrimata. Leaves with numerous primary veins. Leaves thin. Leaves scabrate above at maturity, obovate, rounded or abruptly short-pointed at apex; fruit subglobose to short-oblong, bright orange-red. 127. C. Ravenelii (C). Leaves smooth above at maturity. Leaves obovate to obovate-cuneiform; fruit subglobose, bright red. 128. C. senta (A). Leaves obovate to oval or orbicular; fruit subglobose to ellipsoidal, orange-red or red and orange. 129. C. annosa (C). Leaves subcoriaceous. Flowers in 3—5-flowered corymbs. Leaves obovate; fruit globose or depressed-globose, orange-yellow with a red cheek. 130. C. panda (C). Leaves obovate to oblong-ovate, minutely serrate; fruit globose, red or yellow. 131. C. integra (C). Flowers in 1 or 2-flowered corymbs; leaves spathulate; fruit obovoid, red. 132. C. recurva (C). Leaves conspicuously blue-green, broad-ovate to orbicular; fruit subglobose to short-oblong, light red, puberulous at the ends. 133. C. dispar (C). Stamens 10; anthers yellow; leaves broad-obovate to oval or rhombic, dark yellow-green; fruit subglobose, dull orange-red, often slightly villose at the ends. 134. C. aprica (C).

120. Cratægus flava Ait.

Leaves elliptic to broad-obovate, acute or rarely rounded at apex, gradually narrowed and cuneate at the glandular base, and coarsely doubly serrate above with broad straight or incurved teeth tipped with large dark red stipitate glands, when they unfold bronze color, villose above with short pale caducous hairs most abundant near the base of the midrib and pubescent below on the midrib and veins, about half grown when the flowers open from the 10th to the 20th of April, and at maturity membranaceous, yellow-green, usually about 2′ long and 1½′ wide, with a slender yellow midrib and 3 or 4 pairs of primary veins usually puberulous on the under side and only slightly impressed above; petioles slender, glandular, winged nearly to the base, generally more or less villose, after midsummer often light red on the lower side, and about ½′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots frequently 3′ long and 2′ wide, and sometimes broad-ovate, 3-lobed or divided into 2 or 3 pairs of lateral lobes, their petioles 1′—1½′ long, broadly winged and conspicuously glandular, and foliaceous lunate or elliptic coarsely glandular-serrate stipules. Flowers about ¾′ in diameter, on short slender pedicels, in few-flowered simple or compound slightly villose compact corymbs, with lanceolate acute coarsely glandular-serrate bracts and bractlets; calyx-tube broadly obconic, glabrous, the lobes wide, acute, usually laciniately divided, very glandular; stamens 20; anthers large, dark rose color. Fruit ripening early in October and soon falling, in few-fruited drooping clusters, short-oblong, full and rounded at the ends, dark orange-brown, ½′—⅝′ long, and ⅓′—½′ in diameter; calyx prominent, with a long narrow tube, and enlarged closely appressed lobes often deciduous before the fruit ripens; flesh thick, orange color, dry and mealy; nutlets 5, gradually narrowed and rounded at the ends, ridged and deeply grooved on the back with a high narrow ridge, about ½′ long.

A tree, 15°—20° high, with a tall trunk 8′—10′ in diameter, covered with thin dark brown bark tinged with red and divided into narrow rounded ridges, stout ascending branches forming an open and somewhat irregular head sometimes 20° across, and slender slightly zigzag glabrous branchlets dark green deeply tinged with red when they first appear, becoming dull red-brown or orange-brown during their first season, darker the following year, and ultimately dark gray-brown, and armed with thin nearly straight bright chestnut-brown spines ¾′—1¼′ long.

Distribution. Dry sandy soil on the sand hills of Summerville, near Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia, and at River Junction, Gadsden County, Florida.

121. Cratægus visenda Beadl.